Friday, August 12, 2016

FACE-OFF FRIDAY: Are the Olympics Good for Martial Arts?

Today I am curious as to what you think about the effect the Olympics has on the martial arts.

Specifically, I am thinking about the Asian martial arts of Judo, Tae Kwon Do, and the addition of Karate in 2020.

This would, of course, include martial sports such as shooting, fencing, boxing, and wrestling too, but I'd like to keep our attention on the Asian-derived martial arts.

On the one hand, the exposure these arts get in major media can't be a bad thing. Tae Kwon Do is ubiquitous in the United States, and the advertising they get from the Olympics has to be helpful in that regard. Judo is less so, but it's a highly respected martial art and sport.

On the other hand, some folks argue that Olympic style rule sets harm the actual martial application of the martial art in question - that the sport version overwhelms the traditional application of the martial art.

I do know that my Karateka friends are heavily divided on the question of inclusion in the Games.